Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy launched the latest scheme in a series of welfare schemes promised during his election campaign on Saturday. The YSR Netanna Nestham (weaver’s friend) scheme provides an annual incentive of Rs 24,000 for handloom weavers in the state. The CM launched the scheme in Dharmavaram, a town in Anantapur district which is known for its handloom sarees and is home to a large community of weavers.
Speaking at the inauguration, Jagan said that around 85,000 handloom weaver families will benefit from the scheme. Over five years, each weaver family will be given Rs 1.2 lakh in total.
Praising the weavers’ community for their resilience and their participation in the freedom struggle, Jagan said, “Across Andhra Pradesh, whether it’s Dharmavaram, Mangalagiri, Venkatagiri, Chirala, Proddatur, Jammalamadugu, Yemmiganuru, Uppada or anywhere else, the condition of handloom weavers has been the same. They have been in a state of a financial crisis and are stuck in debt.”
Recalling the great history of the handloom weavers, the Chief Minister said right from holding a silk saree in a matchbox to their contribution in the freedom movement, he said they have an exemplary history and added that Dharmavaram handloom silks were well-known all over the world.
Jagan blamed the Andhra Pradesh State Handloom Weavers Cooperative Society (APCO) for failing to support the weavers and ‘looting’ them. Financial assistance of Rs 3.5 crore was also promised to the families of 57 weavers from Anantapuram district who had taken their lives during the previous government’s term.
In the past six months, other welfare schemes like the YSR Vahana Mitra for auto and taxi drivers, and the YSR Rythu Bharosa for farmers were also launched. Compensation has also been handed out to depositors in the Agrigold scam.
In the coming year, Jagan said that 25 lakh people will be covered under the government housing scheme by Ugadi, in March 2020. The Amma Vodi programme, which will provide financial assistance to mothers of school-going children, is set to launch on January 9.
The Netanna Nestham scheme was also launched in Krishna district's Pedana town by Panchayati Raj Minister Peddireddy Ramachandra Reddy, along with two others ministers Perni Venkataramaiah and Kodali Srivenkateswara Rao.
Speaking at the inauguration, Ramachandra Reddy said that the AP government had already instructed bank officers not to collect money in the accounts of handloom weavers account if they have any debts.
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